Sunday, October 16, 2011

Guest Author: KC Klein

First of all, I want to thank Alexis, Dawn, and Marie for letting me come visit their blog today. It’s always a pleasure to connect with readers, and I’m honored when people take time from their busy day to chat with me.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

For me the writing bug bit early. I spent most of my childhood in my world of make believe, and not much has changed. I still prefer the stories in my head to those of the real world.

What is your favorite book from childhood?

My favorite book as a child was Judy Blume’s, Super Fudge. As a teenager I was a ferocious reader, so I can’t remember them all. But the one that stands out for me is the classic Gone With theWind. I loved that Scarlett was a heroine that you could love and hate at the same time.

What inspires your writing?

My ideas come to me at odd times and from random things. I could come up with an entire novel based on a lyric from a song or a movie clip. Most of my ideas come to me when I am outside jogging or just before I drift off to sleep. The last one is a hazard of being an author, since I stay up late to find out how the story ends and pay for it the next morning.

What character "spoke" to you first before writing this book?

I would definitely have to say the hero in this book. ConRad had such a strong presence in my head that I had to create a whole world based around him.

What genre of books do you love to read?

I write dark so I love to escape into fun and easy reads. Historicals are my go-to books, but I am getting drawn into more gritty series like the Hunger Games and Game of Thrones.

What is your writing space like?

My writing space is in the middle of my dining room. I lost my office when my daughters started to balk about sharing a room. Now I depend on noise canceling headphones and an iron will to get my writing done. In the spirit of full disclosure, I posted a pic of my writing space.

Can you tell me about your latest release?

I would love to. Here is my back cover blurb.

Awakened in the middle of the night by a future version of herself, Kris Davenport is given a mission: go forward in time to save the world—and His life. Of course, her future self doesn't tell her who he is, just sends her into an abyss and straight into an alien invasion.

He turns out to be ConRad Smith, the callous, untrusting Commander of Earth’s army and the world’s last defense. There’s only one way to know for sure if this strange woman is an alien spy—slice her throat. Except, he didn’t anticipate the heat he would feel as he interrogates the hot-tempered, warm-blooded woman. For a man whose sole focus has been survival, she's more temptation than he can handle. But a world on the brink of destruction leaves no room for love…and time is running out.

Is there anything you would like to say to readers?

Just I hope readers will enjoy DARK FUTURE. To encourage people to try a new author I would like to give away a free copy of my ebook. For a chance to enter please leave a comment and tell me what type of stories you’d like to see more of. I am always willing to connect with readers. You can find me on twitter @kckleinbooks and on Facebook AuthorKCKlein and check out my website for any upcoming news http://kckleinbooks.com

Thanks so much!

Excerpt from Dark Future:

“Mmm, you taste human. Like salt or more like … warm sunshine?” He pinned me with his gaze. His eyes spoke a primal language. Desire warred with anger; need against punishment.

I looked away. Embarrassed. Violated. His body crushed mine, suffocating in its nearness. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even breathe without crushing my breasts against him. I always considered myself strong and physically fit, but he subdued me with barely any effort. Heart racing, I panicked.

The feeling of no control would break me—complete powerlessness always did. I used whatever weapon was available; whatever maneuvers would give me a fighting chance. This was no different. I turned my head, opened my mouth against his neck, and … sunk my teeth in.

He cursed. Grabbed hold of my shirt, picked me up, and slammed me back against the wall.

My head hurt so bad I had to blink hard to keep my eyes in their sockets. “You licked me,” I shouted back.

He assessed me, aqua blue eyes hooded with thick, long eyelashes, for what seemed like an eternity. “I will ask you one more time. Who are you?”

“I’ve told you everything.” My voice sounded desperate, tired, even to me. “I went running and fell into the dark … I’m a doctor at a hospital. If you don’t believe me, just call them. I’ve worked there for years.”

He stood still, his body hard against mine, creating an insurmountable barrier. His face so close I could see his pupils enlarge, almost hiding the hard blue of his irises. The rage in him lived and breathed. One hand ran along my scalp in a mock caress, grabbed hold of my hair and pulled.

“Liar,” his voice barely a whisper, the knife was back … shaking at my very exposed, very vulnerable artery. “There hasn’t been a hospital anywhere on Earth since the year 2075.” And in one efficient movement, he drew the knife across my throat.

Oh God, this is it!

A burn sliced across my neck. I wrapped my hands around my throat to stem the flow of blood.

A warm wetness trickled down my skin, my palm, in between my clamped fingers. I was afraid to swallow, afraid to feel my blood slip away as I died. I gasped at him, my breath rapid and shallow. This man had killed me, cut my throat like some animal left to choke on its own fluids.

Tears of self-pity blurred my vision. For some stupid reason I’d never thought he’d hurt me. Terrify me—yes. Manipulate me—yes, but never murder. I blinked to clear my sight, tears squeezed from the corners of my eyes. I was beyond caring that he would see me cry. What was pride when you only had seconds to live?

I clenched down on my hitching sob. I never thought I’d die like this, in some dank, gray room, wearing coarse, military clothing, my only companion a psychotic maniac.

ConRad eased back and released my hair. His hand curled around to the underside of my jaw. The course pad of his thumb dried the wet trail on my cheek. His glanced down at his thumb and forefinger as they rubbed together seemingly puzzled by the moisture. “My job is tough, and I offer no apologies or excuses, but I had to be sure. Aliens don’t bleed like us. I needed to know you were human.”

A murderer with a profound sense of responsibility. Wonderful.

“So you killed me!” I shouted. I placed two fingers against my carotid artery and took my pulse. Was the rhythm racing or … thready? Were those white lights in the distance? Had it become harder to breathe? The end, the final finale.

“What?” He stepped back and wiped the blade on his pant leg before sheathing the knife in its holster. A tsk sound came from between his closed lips. “Barely a scratch. You won’t even see the mark in a few days.”

I pulled my hand away from my throat and glanced down, amazed at the thin smear of blood on my fingers. With hurried movements I palpated my trachea, then the cartilage around my larynx. I swallowed a few times. All seemed to be in normal working order. The cool breeze of relief swept through me, followed by a blister of hot rage that sprang forth and flamed my face.

“You complete jack—” The words I used to describe him wouldn’t have been fit for even a hard-core rapper to use. If my mother had heard me, she would have reached for a bar of soap. And I was just getting started.

The Commander must have thought so too. He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, was that all in English? There were names I don’t even think I know the meaning of.”

A small smile played across his face, crinkling the corners of his brilliant blue eyes. It had a way of making him appear younger, almost charming. But then again, the Devil is said to appear as an angel of light.

“Well, next time you think someone just killed you, let’s see how you react,” I snapped in my defense.

He nodded. He had justified himself once—he wouldn’t do it again.

My heart still thundered as I pulled in my first full breath. I rubbed my hand across my chest. Was I up to these life-or-death situations? Forget monsters or murders—I would die from a common old heart attack.

I needed space. Proximity to this man put me on edge. He seemed to drive me to my boundaries and then test my resistance. My hand raised and pushed on his chest. I needed room. I needed space to breathe without his scent—soap, metal, heat—flooding my nostrils.

ConRad didn’t budge. His chest was as unforgiving as any rock mass. Then he stepped closer. My arm, worthless against such power, bent and became trapped between our bodies. His gaze locked with mine, nostrils flared, eyes focused and heated. His larger frame hovered and crowded.

Something happened; something had changed. He was on the attack. My belly twisted and my throat dried. His face so close, lips within licking distance. His breath fanned my cheeks. His scent made my mouth water. Just a taste … just one taste.

“What if I’m wrong? What if the aliens are more advanced than even I thought? Or maybe …” his voice turned rich and deep, like a red wine, “I’m just looking for a reason.”

He spoke the last under his breath, almost as if he was being pulled along against his will. I could sympathize.

He was so tall I put a creak in my neck to watch his expression. I placed my palm flat against his broad chest, and I could feel his muscles shift as his arms came to either side of my head, pressing his hands against the wall.

Trapped again.

“A reason?” I swallowed. I couldn’t seem to follow a simple train of thought. Primal words diffused through my brain … open … more … yes.

His mouth parted, a tongue swept along his full upper lip leaving a shimmer of wet behind. “It’s been a long … long … long time since I’ve had a woman.”

His words rolled through me, seeping into my raw nerves like a rum punch. My mouth eased forward. The promise of his flavor … consuming.

His eyes burned, transfixed on my neck. He bent his knees, lowered, and rubbed his hips against mine. His hands slid to my scalp, massaging. Then he grasped my hair and tilted my head exposing my neck—stretching my wound.

My breath escaped in a pant. My mind warred with my body as my muscles unfurled, preparing for surrender. He looked at me as if I was dinner … no dessert. He was a man kept alive on bread and water for so long, pushed to the edge—on the brink of rushing the line.

He lowered his head.

Time lingered. Heartbeats ceased. Then a tongue, warm … wet … slow, licked my wound. A sting erupted as his tongue drew across leisurely from one end to the other. More suggestive than a caress, more intimate than a kiss. The gesture reeked of possessiveness, of ownership, of a … branding.

He lifted his head and rolled his tongue around his mouth. “You taste like human.” He said, and then ground his hips into mine. “You feel like human.”

“Silly little girl, found all alone in the dark.” His mouth was beside my ear.

Addicting chills spread at his seductive tone.

“You cost my men their lives all because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or were you? Maybe it’s all a trick, maybe they’ve found a way to make you look, feel, and taste like a human. But I wonder …” He whispered as he gently kissed the corners of my mouth. His tongue bathed my parted lips.

I licked the moisture; savoring the flavor of salt, metal … blood. My body went from hot to cold to … burning. A smoldering fire began in the pit of my stomach, scorching its way south.

“I wonder,” he began again. “I wonder if they made it possible for you to come like a human.”

An emotion of the purest form swept through me, an uncontrollable urge to weep. A low moan escaped from the back of my throat. Please ConRad, it’s been so long. I thought I lost you. Something cool and smooth dragged underneath my shirt, lightly past my ribs. His knife. The blade skimmed my skin down to my waist. With a small flick of his wrist, he cut the belt holding up my fatigues.

Don't forget, or a chance to win DARK FUTURE leave a comment and tell me what type of stories you would like to see more of.

10 comments:

Hi KC,The excerpt is heart pounding and dark. Well done! I am also a displaced writer, working from what should be my living room (which forced me to convert my dining room into the living room!) so I really appreciate your plight when your girls needed more growing up space. Thanks for sharing some of your writing process with us!Best,Lyndee

KC! Yay for a chance to win a free book! *laugh* I have to be in the mood to read dark, but I'm very excited about Dark Future.

As for books I'd like to see more of - that one's hard to answer. But I can answer what I'd like to see less of - my To Be Read pile, which seems to grow every month. But books by people I know always move up to the top of the list! :)

Hi KC! I like ConRad's style and I wouldn't mind him taking a knife to my pants.Do you find it easier to write a likeable hero or heroine? Do you think some personalities are easier to write than others?Oh, and have to ask...was it difficult to change your writing space? I need a certain "aura" where I write for it to work!

Hi Dawn, Thanks for commenting. As for likeable heroes/heroines that is a great question. It is funny because I usually find myself writing characters that are not very likeable. I have gotten myself in trouble over this one. :) Honestly, the character is what determines it for me. As far as changing my writing space I cried the whole time during the move, but in reality it turned out just fine. Us moms and writers we are adaptable people. Thanks everyone for commenting. I am getting excited about picking a winner.